Improvement in bricks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC GREGG, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT |N BRlcKs.

spucihuutiou furm'iug part of Letters Patent Nu. 154.474, dated August Q5, 1814; uppnuutiuu ruud July 7, 1874.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC GREGG, Jr., of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Bricks, of which the following is a specification: l

The objects of my invention are to reduce the cost of manufacturing front or face bricks and to produce bricks of better and more uniform quality than are now made by any of the processes with which I am conversant, to which ing. The bricks are lirst sprinkled with fine sand, and then placed in a hand-press, where they are one at a time subjected to the repressure, which finishes them lready'for the kiln. Great care is requisite on the part of the operator in ,sprinkling and handling them, as the clay, being in `a soft state, isreadily indented or bent, and the brick consequently spoiled, and frequently, in the eort to preserve the two faces of the brick uninjured, neither one is madev perfect. In larranging the face-bricks in the kiln they` are generally placed on their faces in vertical rows of three, between (transverse layers of stretchers, and from this arrangement it results that only the central brick of the three in each row has both its faces protected. Moreover, there being .no distinguishing mark to denote which face is to be used as the front, a considerable percentage of waste is entailed in careless wheeling and stacking. Y

My improvement reduces the time and labor required in the repressure, insures a more perfect face than has hitherto been practicable to attain, economizes fuel in the operation of burning the bricks, and reduces the percentage of waste and breakage after the bricks are taken from the kiln.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an isometrical view of a brick embodying my improvement 5 Fig. 2, a view, in elevation, showing the mode of setting face-bricks in the kiln now usually adopted; and Fig. 3, a sectional view, showing the manner of setting bricks embodying my improvement.

The brick A is of the ordinary form, save that it has a series of transverse grooves, c, formed upon one of its faces, C. The number and depth of the grooves4 may be varied at the discretion of the manufacturer; but I have found that three grooves, each about threesixteenths of an inch deep, will generally prove to be sufficient. rJhe face B of the brick, which is diametrically opposite vto the grooved face C, is smoothly and accurately finished, and is, of course, the face which is to be laid in front. The grooving of the face O serves a twofold purpose-first, to indicate to the operators which face of the brick requires care and attention in manipulation and preserva' tion from injury in wheeling and stacking; and, second, to provide flues or conduits for the thorou gh'transmission of the heat through the mass of bricks to be burned, thereby economizin g fuel, and insuring amore uniform color and quality of brick than heretofore.

F.ig.'3 of the drawings shows one mode of arranging face-bricks embodying my improvement in the kiln, they being placed in vertical rows of two each between courses of stretchers, the finished faces abutting so as to be protected, and the grooves @providing liues or conduits for the passage of the heat through the mass of bricks.

By comparing this arrangement with Fig. 2, which shows the ordinary mode of arranging bricks of the construction heretofore known, the advantage in this respect of my invention will be obvious.

As there is but one face-i. e., one surface bounded by the length of thickness of the brickto be finished, the time occupied in sanding and repressin g is correspondingly reduced, and the operation conducted with greater facility, from the fact that the operator, not being required to devote anyespecial care to the opposite face, can handle the brick with much greater ease, convenience, and rapidity than heretofore.

In all the various positions which the bricks occupy, from the time they leave the kiln until they reach the hands of the bricklayer, they` can be handled and stored with the greatest practicable security from injury, as all who have to deal with them can at a glance discern which of their faces is to be used as the front, and, of course, need give attention to the preservation of' that face only.

It is obvious that the bricks instead of be-y ing grooved in the manner described and shown, might be recessed in other forms without departing from the spirit of my invenu tion; but I consider the plan hereinbefore stated to be most advisable.

I am aware thattongued and grooved bricks, intended to interlock one with the other, have been heretofore proposed, and do not, therefore, broadly, claim a grooved brick.

l claim as my invention- As anew article of manufacture, a brick having but one perfect or finished face, and

. having a grooved or recessed face (not finished) diametrically opposite thereto, so that, in all the stages of its manufacture, manipulation, and use, the labor and care ofthe operator may be applied to but one face of the brick, and be guided and directed b v distinguishing marks upon the opposite face, as set forth.

ISAAC GREGG, JRm

Witnesses:

J. SNOWDEN BELL, H. S. HARDING. 

